a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for displaying a position of a medical device disposed within a region of interest in a body. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method that generate a volumetric rendering of the region of interest while simultaneously displaying the position of the medical device within the region of interest.
b. Background Art
It is desirable to track the position of medical devices such as catheters as they are moved within a body so that, for example, drugs and other forms of treatment are administered at the proper location and medical procedures can be completed more efficiently and safely. One conventional means to track the position of medical devices within the body is fluoroscopic imaging. Fluoroscopy is disadvantageous, however, because it subjects the patient and clinician to undesirable levels of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. As a result, medical device navigation systems have been developed to track the position of medical devices within the body. These systems typically rely on the generation of electrical or magnetic fields and the detection of induced voltages and currents on position sensors attached to the medical device. The information derived from these systems is then provided to a clinician through, for example, a visual display.
Conventional systems display the position of a medical device within two dimensional images of the region of interest or within three dimensional models of the region of interest generated from a collection of two-dimensional image slices. Conventional three-dimensional display systems, however, rely on segmentation of the image to identify surface boundaries and create a polygonal mesh. Although such systems have proven useful for their intended purpose, the process of segmentation and boundary identification generates a three-dimensional image that may misidentify structures and removes nuanced local information about the tissue types and thicknesses that are useful in the operation of the medical device relative to the region of interest
The inventors herein have recognized a need for a system and method for displaying a position of a medical device disposed within a region of interest in a body that will minimize and/or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies.